Mass Effect 3 Hope
by ThisLittleOne
Summary: This story is the First of many instalments. It is a rewritten ending to Mass Effect 3. It is a tale that sets the stage for an epic new adventure across the war torn worlds of the galaxy. Many secrets still linger in the dark reaches of space. Some are better off forgotten while others will be revealed in my second instalment "Mass Effect New Dawn".
1. Chapter 1

Mass Effect's story is tailored to the choices you make in the game. This tale and all tales I publish will be tailored to a specific playthrough.

Saved M.E.1 Council

Cured the Genophage

Geth and Quarian Peace

Romanced Tali Zorah

The story diverges from the canon to allow creative freedom. Enjoy.

* * *

Prologue

The Illusive Man is dead. Shepard opens the Citadel arms and the Crucible docks. It begins to power up. Lightning and static pulsates throughout the structure. The 5th fleet still desperately trying to defend it. Shepard and Anderson were barely alive and standing at the Citadel arms control. They collapsed beside one another onto the floor. With both of them mortally wounded they believed it to be all but a matter of time. They sat up looking onwards in to space.

Chapter 1

"Commander".

"We did it" claimed Shepard.

Anderson smiled, looking out at the Earth. "Yes, we did.

It's uh, quite a view".

Shepard coughed. Blood dripping from his mouth. "Best seats in the house".

"You ever wonder how things would've been different? How our lives would have been - different if this - hadn't happened?" Anderson asked.

"Sure" said Shepard.

"I never had a family, Shepard. Never had children", he said.

"They'll be time enough for that now" said Shepard.

Anderson chuckled under his breath.

"I... I think that ship has sailed. What about you? Ever think about settling down?"

Shepard stared out upon the Earth. He smiled.

"Yeah, I like the sound of that. Not sure I'd be much good at it though".

"Sure you would. I think you'd make a great dad".

Shepard coughed again, still staring at the Earth out the window. "Uh-huh".

"Think how proud your kids would be" Said Anderson "Telling everyone their dad is Commander Shepard".

Shepard's gaze dropped to the floor. His war torn mug became the face of a mournful soul. "I don't know about that... not everything I've done is something to be proud of".

Anderson frowned "God, feels like years since I just sat down".

Shepard turned his head to face him. "I think you've earned a rest. Anderson?"

Andersons head dropped. He could barely keep his eyes open. The hole in his gut stole every ounce of energy he had left. He groaned in strife against the pain. "Mmm".

Shepard comforted him. "Stay with me. We're almost through this".

In his dying breath, he turned to Shepard.

"You did good son. You did good.

I'm proud of you".

His head hung from his shoulders, the last breath drawn from his mouth.

"Thank you sir. Anderson?"

No reply.

Shepard looked back, out to space, to the Earth. He knew he was next. The blood on his hands said it all. Suddenly he heard something. A small com unit was wrapped in Anderson's hand. Shepard reached over to it. Releasing it gently from the dead mans grasp. There was nothing at first. Only static, then.

"Hailing on all channels. This is the SSV Normandy to the Citadel. Does Anyone copy".

Shepard instantly opened the com. "Joker?"

"Shepard!, Oh thank god your alive".

Joker leaned back in his pilots chair on the bridge of the Normandy. Garrus Stood to one side of the bridge silently treating his wounds. He raised his head to what he could hear. Tali ran up beside Joker shouting. "Shepard is that you?"

Shepard paused for a moment. Sharp pain covered his body. He grit his teeth and mustered enough strength to reply.

"Yeah, its me Tali".

Shepard took a quick glance out the window, as he did two Reapers flew by shaking the whole room as they tore through a cruiser in seconds.

"Hang in there Shepard we're coming". Said Joker.

"No!" shouted Shepard. He coughed. Each time spiting out more and more blood. "Its to dangerous, get out while you still can...Go".

Tali was on the verge of tears. Her heart pounding. "Shepard no".

A tear fell down Shepard's cheek. "Tali, I-"

"I'm not leaving you!" She cried.

Shepard's eyes began to drop. His wounds sucking the life out of him. He pleaded with her. "Please, I love you".

The com went silent. "Shepard... Shepard!" shouted Joker.

Tali froze in terror. Garrus could do nothing but watch. He knew it might come down to this. Everything had been building up to this. Tali's pale eyes dotted back and forth before she turned and run back through the ship. Garrus's eyes followed. He ran after her. "Tali, wait!"

"I'm not loosing him!" She shouted.

Joker sat forward. He stared up in to the carnage above. Reapers swarmed left and right. EDI only just managed to steer the Normandy clear. She turned to face him. "Jeff!" She cried.

"Damn it...Damn it all to hell. Hackett!" he yelled. He pulled up the com. "Requesting permission to break off and retrieve Shepard".

Hackett replied instantly. "Request denied. The crucible is powering up. we must fall back beyond the relay.

"But"

"No buts. That's an order!"

Jeff fell back on his chair. EDI still poised over the controls dodging wreck after wreck. "Jeff we're still hailing on all frequencies!" She shouted. Suddenly another voice came over the radio.

"This is admiral Han Gerrel of the Quarian Heavy fleet, we are prepared to assist the Normandy with Shepard's evac". Hackett's ship began to pull away from the fight, taking hits one after the other. Explosions ruptured through his command centre, flinging crew members across the room. Hackett's face turned stiff with the cool, cold, grit of a true admiral commanding with authority. He grabbed the hand rails in front of him with the smallest amount of concern for the fires spreading around him. "Han Gerrel, What are you doi-".

"I don't answer to you Hackett but with all due respect, the commander has done more for my people than anyone ever has. Hell he saved are lives even. I… We owe Shepard a debt that can never be repaid but I'll be damned if I'm not going to start by saving his life".

Then out of no were voices hailed in from all ships. "Patrol Fleet standing by. Turian Sixth Fleet ready to assist. Geth Fleet standing by. The Destiny Assension is standing by". The amazed expression on Jokers face slowly changed in to a confident smile.

"Its suicide if we stay here. Stand down NOW!" shouted Hackett.

Joker sat up in his chair ignoring Hackett's cry's. "All ships rally on me".

"I'll have your head for this Joker".

"Then feel free to court-martial us once we've saved the galaxy". Said Joker.

The com went quiet. Hackett paused for a moment. A glum expression fell upon his face. He only wanted to save as many people as he could. The battle had gone on for too long already. Too many brave men, women as well as children had died before the battle had even begun. Yet so many more would have died if it wasn't for Shepard. Just one man. One man who'd carried the weight of the galaxy on his shoulders. One man who had rallied so many to the cause. _If Shepard was to die now, he'd die a hero_ Hackett thought but it seamed the galaxy wasn't willing to let him go just yet. So many willing to fight and sacrifice themselves for him as to just simply run would dishonour everything Shepard had done for them. Hackett's ship was in a bad state already. He was responsible for the lives of his crew.

Joker leaned forward. "Sir?" He waited for a reply.

"I'm pulling my fleet out. Hackett signing off... Good Luck".

"Thank you sir".

Joker quickly flung his hands back on to the controls. "Form up on me".

Hackett and the rest of his fleet veered off on course for the relay. Leaving the remanence of Sword fleet to aline with the Normandy. They created a near seamless, spear headed formation with the Normandy at the tip.

Meanwhile in the hanger James and Cortez were tending to the wounded soldiers they picked up of the battle field, most of them seamed too tired to even speak. The room was near silent. Only the muzzled booms of explosions cut through the dead air. The elevator door at the back of the hanger opened. Tali ran out and the doors slamed shut behind her. She brushed a control panel with her hand, activating the shuttle launch sequence. The shuttle hatch opened but before she could step aboard Garrus came running out of the elevator. "Tali!" he shouted.

"You can't stop me Garrus".

"I know, I'm coming with you".

She looked back at him tilting her head slightly. If a quick smile crossed Tali's face no one could tell. They stepped on to the shuttle. James and Cortez ran over.

"What the hell are you doing?" shouted James.

"We're going after Shepard". said Tali.

"Want are you nuts, That's a suicide mission".

"Wouldn't be the first" said Garrus.

Tali looked over at him.

"Just like old times Garrus?"

"Hah, Yeah,

Just like old times".

Cortez Stepped on board the shuttle. "Well you'll need a pilot, coming Vega?"

James paused for a moment in thought. He stood there in the shuttle door, conflicted, looking down at the floor.

"You know damn well he'd do the same for us". Said Garrus.

James shook his head. "Screw it, lets go nab ourselves a commander". Said James sounding pumped and ready to fight. Cortez took his place at the controls.

"Suit up. I'm not risking decompression if the hull is breached in this firefight".

They put on their gear and fired up the shuttle.

* * *

Back on the citadel, Shepard was at peace lying on the control room floor. These were to be his final moments, he closed his eyes hoping to drift away in to the long good night, free from the pain, the hardship and most of all, free from the Reapers. Or so he thought. The earie noises in the room began to grow louder. The sound of electrical sparks crackling all around him. The muzzled booms as explosions ignited out in the cold dark of space. A loud ring pierced Shepard's ears. He grit his teeth. With his head lying on the hard, cold floor he raised his blood covered hands over his ears, trying to block out the deafening sounds that grew louder by the minute. Soon enough he could hear whispers. Like the ones from his dreams. Too faint to understand. Shepard's eyes were sealed shut. He was trying desperately to keep out the sounds in his head, trying desperately to minimize the pain. He twist and turned on his back, about to yell at the top of his voice but before he could, he opened his eyes to the sound of a reaper's growl. It pulsated through the walls and corridors. Shepard's vision began to blur. His tired and acing body was failing him. He could barely move. Shepard was so distracted by the sounds and agonizing pain that he almost didn't notice the tall dark figure looming over him at his feet. The dark figure looked down at Shepard with its menacing eyes, its blue dotted eyes. Before Shepard could do anything the figure dove down with its left arm out in front. Grabbing Shepard by the neck, it lifted him up in to the air with immense force. Shepard's eyes widened to the sudden and violent motion. He grabbed his attackers arm only to find it cold and stiff like metal. He stared at him in horror. The Illusive man?


	2. Chapter 2

_A/N: Thanks to all who have given me constructive feedback on chapter one. In response to the reviews. The "Elusive Man" was a spellcheck error. My bad. I've gone back and corrected that. Let me know if there are any more spelling mistakes that make it past me. Now I'm going to make this really clear. **This is not the Indoctrination theory.** This story takes some inspiration from the theory but it is not a rewritten version of the theory. To say anything more would be spoilers. :)_

* * *

Chapter 2

The Normandy was much faster than the other ships in the fleet. Joker had to account for this in order to stay in formation. The Destiny Ascension loomed above the as they charged forward. Every other ship and race fell at The Ascension's lower flank on either side of the Normandy with the Quarian Heavy fleet and colony ships bringing up the rear. The Turians, the Asari, Salarians. All races combined in to a final desperate assault on the Citadel.

The Normandy was out of its depth. It wasn't built for this. She was a stealth ship after all. Joker wasn't alone though. Not only did he have a galactic armada at his back, covering their approach but Edi was also by his side. Working in unison they pushed forward to the Citadel. Edi swayed the ship from side to side, dodging incoming fire. They were so caught up in the fight they barely even noticed that the crucible was now lighting up brighter than before. Purple waves of biotic energy began pulsating out of the gigantic structure. Suddenly the Citadel arms began to move. They were already open but now they were stretching back. The magnificent spectacle of the citadel was now even more breath taking as it opened up in to a five pronged star. However there was no time to enjoy the view. By now the formation was broken. Ships veered off as they were torn apart. Reapers pounced on the less manoeuvrable ships. The Destiny Ascension was the largest of all the ships gaining the most attention. Five reapers fired upon its main hanger bay wreaking havoc and destruction from the inside out. There was no saving it this time. With a final transmission from her captain, "Goddess be with you". She exploded shirring its armoured hull in two. Despite all this the Quarian fleet pushed forward through the carnage, taking pot shots at Reapers that jumped nearby ships.

The colony ships were the largest in the Quarian fleet. They dwarfed Han Gerrel's heavy war ships. These ships, once filled with families, friends and loved ones, now lied empty. Nothing but a skeleton crew on board. These massive ships were built for food cultivation not battle and it showed. There were two colony ships amongst the armada. The first was struck by debris from the Ascension. The large dome took the full force of the impact. No shield or barrier could have stopped the sheer mass of metal hull that had now imbedded itself in to the ship. The second ship came up alongside its twin but could do little to help. It too was then consumed. Reapers covered its hull. They tore the ship apart with their mechanical claws. The ship could do little to fight back. Both ships went down in a blaze of fire. Edi could just make out the explosion through the Normandy's rear camera. The sight was barely significant though amongst the rest of the battle. Calls came in from all around. The screams of dyeing men and women. Desperate pleads for help. Others still shouting orders with nothing but hope alone to guide them. "Keep going" they shouted.

"We're going down, Spirits! Help us!" Shouted another.

The voices berried themselves in to Jokers head, tormenting him. Tali grabbed his attention however. Clearing his mind when she radioed up from the hanger. "Joker we're in the shuttle ready to go, get us as close to the citadel as you can". She ordered.

"Way ahead of you" he replied, a confident smile quickly growing on his face.

The Normandy was now around 30 kilometres out. The tower was in sight. Its surroundings were almost reminiscent of the collector base. Hulking masses of ship debris filled the vacuum around it.

"Edi, Now!" Shouted Joker, signalling for her to open the cargo bay doors.

* * *

Shepard gasped for air as he choked on the Illusive Man's hand. It couldn't have been him. He was dead, yet standing. Only his cybernetic implants animating his frozen corps. He lifted Shepard of his feet, strangling him with one hand in a vice like grip. The sounds in Shepard's ears fell silent and then the Illusive Man spoke but this time, it wasn't him. A beep, loud, menacing voice exploded out of his mouth.

"Shepard, You are no longer tolerable. Your resistance is pointless". Harbinger's control over the Illusive man's body was absolute.

The Illusive Man fought for control. To become the master but in the end he was nothing more than a puppet. The reapers weren't just controlling him, they were mocking him.

Shepard groaned in pain. His left hand was at his neck trying to free him. His right hand was down by his side reaching for the Carnifex pistol on his hip. However his arm didn't move. Every time he tried the ever more insistent whispers returned, even louder than before. He tried to block it out. Tried not to listen. That if he did, he'd become a slave. Another tool.

Harbinger didn't want Shepard dead. He could see how his ability's and knowledge were useful. Besides, it was Shepard who had the reapers attention from the very beginning. Killing Sovereign, destroying the Collector base. While these acts only hindered the reapers progress, it was more than what any other race had ever done before. This made him a liability, a threat but if turned, he could prove to be very valuable.

Shepard could barely breathe. He gasped again and again. Every time he blocked out the noises, he'd hold his breath. Pushing against the reapers influence he inched his arm closer to his hip, closer to the gun.

"The cycle must continue". Growled Harbinger.

"If you will not ascend - you will submit".

Shepard's fingers grazed against the pistol on his hip in an attempt to grab it. He could almost reach it when suddenly Harbinger raised his right arm out to the side.

Shepard stared intently as the flesh on the arm quickly disintegrated, revealing the implanted mechanical xo-skeleton that ran throughout the Illusive Mans near lifeless corps. It was dark, blood coated metal with blue light emanating from the cracks. In a split second it then transformed. Components perturbed out in every direction. The rist opened up. It retracted the mechanical hand and replaced it with a collection of sharp needles. These needles arranged themselves in a circle like candles on a cake. One long needle extended out through the centre. Its length stretched further than a dagger's blade. The Reaper growled in amusement at the look of sheer terror on Shepard's face. Harbinger pulled the arm back about to strike. Shepard only had a moment to react. He took in a deep breath and held it. He conjured up what little will power he had left, pulling his mind away from the whispers. He yelled in pain as he forced his right hand around the guns grip. As he did Harbinger lunged forward driving the sharp needles deep in to Shepard's gut.

The impact sent his arms flailing wildly. Shepard screamed in agony and grit his teeth. Blood poured out. The pain he endured sent adrenalin rushing through his veins. He quickly regained his focus however once realising the gun was still wrapped tightly in his right hand. He pulled it up to the Illusive man's head as quickly as he could while he still had control.

"Assuming Direct Control". Shouted Harbinger

Shepard brought his arm half way up before it suddenly stopped almost in line with the Illusive Man's head, aiming it just over his shoulder.

The whispers in Shepard's head were now loud enough to hear. Voices from the past. A distant echo.

"Shepard, Good to have you here." Mordin's voice. It echoed through his mind as did the sorrow and despair. "Shepard commander." Legion. "Shepard, I'm afraid I won't be joining you again." Thane. Was this how Harbinger controlled his minions? Shattering there will through pain and gilt. It wouldn't matter. Shepard could stand the pain. He could bare the gilt. He'd lived with it for most of his life. Besides he knew falling now would mean failing those that fought and died to get him here. If the voices where meant to weaken him, all they really did was strengthen his resolve.

"Had to be me… Someone else might have gotten it wrong".

The voices called his name again and again.

"Shepard!... Shepard!..."

He blocked them out. He had to.

He yelled at the top of his voice as he tried to pull the gun in line to shoot. He inched it closer and closer to his target almost every muscle in his arm working against him. Tensing up or pushing the gun away. The gun was just about in line with the Illusive Man's head when Harbinger said "Your time has come". Shepard let out a quick remark just before he fired.

"Go To Hell!"

As he squeezed his finger over the trigger his arm gave way. He began to fall unconscious. The pistol swung back to the side of the Illusive man's head. This happened all at once. The gun fired over the Illusive Man's shoulder and hit against the glass window behind them.

"I have control" announced Harbinger.

For Shepard everything went black. He fell limp. The pistol fell from his hand and his arms went down by his sides. Shepard's head leaned to one side, eyes closed. Harbinger let out a loud growl but then abruptly fell silent. He turned his head to look over his left shoulder as he heard the sound of cracking begin to grow louder and louder. While still holding Shepard's lifeless body up by the neck, he turned to see a crack in the glass that spanned the whole length of the viewing window. Smaller circular cracks appeared like shock waves emanating out from the point in which the gun shot had impacted the glass. Suddenly and violently the glass shattered, propelling the whole room out in to the vacuum of space. Shepard's body was flung free of Harbinger as they were both hurled out the window.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Vega put on his helmet and took the co-pilot seat next to Cortez. He looked over at him with a concerned look on his face. "Yo Esteban, Why aren't you in your suit?" said James

"No time." replied Steve. "I had to do a few pre-flight checks". He explained. While he typed away at a panel, the shuttle's external cameras activated, displaying the Normandy's hanger bay on monitors all around the interior of the shuttle. It was as if parts of the Kodiaks armoured hull were instantly replaced with glass windows. Tali took a step forward in to the cockpit to stand between them. James looked up at her.

"You Sure about this Sparks?" Tali said nothing. Thoughts still running rampant in her head. Honest and deep concern for the one she loved. She gave James a quick glance before looking back up at the forward facing monitor. It displayed the hanger bay doors that were closed shut in front of them.

Out of nowhere an explosion shook the Normandy. Tali grabbed the head rest of James's chair while Garrus was less fortunate. He lost his footing and fell to the floor in the back of the shuttle. "Ow!"

He stumbled to his feet and shouted " errrr, Time we got moving?" Cortez looked over at Tali who was still staring out the window at the hanger doors almost in anticipation.

"We're all set". Said Cortez.

Tali quickly brought up her omni-tool. "Joker we're in the shuttle ready to go, get us as close to the citadel as you can" she ordered.

"Way ahead of you" he replied.

Garrus grabbed a hold of a hand rail on the ceiling, expecting another explosion to rock the ship. A moment passed and then a monotone voice came over the hanger bay com systems. "Warning, hanger doors are opening… Warning, hanger doors are opening...". The voice was cold, unlike Edi's. As the automated system repeated itself again and again, a loud roar of electric motors erupted. A set of red lights started flashing above the hanger door. Suddenly the dark metallic wall lit up with bright light from the top down. It dropped slowly like a draw bridge to a castle. James shielded his eyes for a moment. Then as they adjusted, he could see the bright blue Earth in the distance behind the mega structure that was the Citadel, foreboding in its size. They were close enough so that only a portion of the Presidium ring was visible out the hanger door.

"Punch it!" Shouted James and in an instant the shuttle lunged forward in to the fray. The Normandy flew off to the side.

Joker came over the com. "We'll draw off enemy fire as best we can, then come back around and make the pickup… Good luck".

"You too Joker and stay safe out there". Said Garrus. As he finished, the shuttle shook violently.

"Hang tight. It's gona be a bumpy ride". Shouted Cortez.

Two Reapers swarmed up ahead of the shuttle. They both flew over head firing at an Alliance Cruiser off to the side. Cortez swayed the shuttle to the left to avoid hitting the second Reaper as it came to close.

"No way they didn't see us!" Shouted Vega.

"I'm sure they did" said Garrus. "But they've got bigger fish to fry".

Projectiles flew left and right. Fighters came swigging in to view before disappearing again in to the distance. Another Alliance Cruiser came in to view from below. Before Cortez could react the cruiser exploded from its centre, sending more debris flying.

A massive hulk of metal came right at the shuttle. Cortez quickly ducked the shuttle below it only to be met with an Oculus on the other side. It fired its particle beam only just missing the shuttle.

It flew past and swung back around quickly catching up with them.

"It's on our tail!" shouted Garrus as he flung himself against the side wall in accordance with the shuttles motion. He looked out the side window to see particle beams glance past the shuttle.

"I can't shake him!" Shouted Cortez. Suddenly the Oculus fired again striking across the roof of the shuttle. It shook and an explosion nocked Garrus against the left hand wall. He grabbed the side bar to steady himself against the blast. Tali fell forward against the back of James's chair. She held on for dear life as the air in the shuttle slowly vented out of a small crack in the roof. Everybody was wearing a suit apart from Steve.

"Hull breach!" He shouted.

"I knew, cough, this would happen". He coughed and choked reaching his arm up to a panel on the roof. The second he pressed it a mass effect field came down over the two arch ways that lead to the cockpit. This sealed off the air from the rest of the ship allowing him to breathe again. He then quickly sprung in to action at the controls. The shuttle suddenly flipped itself around to face the Oculus on its tail. James and Cortez stared it down before firing everything they had at it. The side canons pelted the Oculus again and again. The first few shots chipped its wing, nocking its balance as it chased after the shuttle that was now flying backwards and firing projectiles in its wake. Garrus grabbed the railing on the ceiling again and reached up with his omni-tool. Using his fabricator he started patching the hole in the roof were all the air in the back of the shuttle had rushed out from. Cortez had nothing but a rear view camera to help him steer the shuttle clear of debris while Vega fired endlessly at the Oculus.

"Come on, Come on" said Vega as he grit his teeth. The Oculus swayed from side to side but then, one of Vega's shots struck gold. It hit the Oculus right in the eye. It burst in to multiple pieces before exploding with flying sparks.

"Hell yeah, that's what I'm talking about!" Shouted James.

Cortez flipped the shuttle back around and breathed a sigh of relief.

"Finally". He said.

They were now moments out. Tali looked over at the tower through the forward monitor. Terror swept over her. She couldn't bear the thought that Shepard might already be dead. That they might already be too late to save him. An explosion rocked the shuttle again. Garrus pulled his hand down from the hole in the roof and walked through the environmental field in to the cockpit with the others.

"30 seconds out". Said Steve.

"Have we got a fix on him?" Garrus asked.

Suddenly Edi's voice chimed in other the com. "Using Shepard's last transmission I have traced his location. He should be in an observation room around the base of the tower".

"Right" replied Steve.

As he did, he flew right against the tower making a nose dive seconds before he would have rammed in to the station. As they flew down the length of the tower he flipped the Kodiak 180 degrees to the side orienting the tower at their feet below the shuttle. They then reached the bottom of the tower which was almost engulfed with dark energy emanating out of the crucible. Steve then pulled a manoeuvre that swung the shuttle around levelling them out so that the tower loomed over in front of them.

"We're running out of time" Shouted Garrus. The crucible's pulsating energy waves shook the shuttle repeatedly.

"Tali what do we do?" Shouted Vega having not thought this far ahead. Tali didn't reply. She stood there behind James's seat. Her eyes coaming the towers outer wall for an opening.

"How are we gona-". Before Garrus could finish Cortez spotted a violent exhaust erupt out of one of the tower's observation decks. Three figures went flying out of the tower spinning wildly.

"Look over there, to our left!"

Cortez leaned forward and squinted his eyes. He could see one of the figures that floated close by. The N7 logo still barely visible on its chest.

"Deos mio!" Yelled James.

Tali quickly ran to the shuttle's right side hatch and opened it to the vast depths of space. Luckily the hole in the roof meant that the back of the shuttle was already decompressed allowing her to open the hatch safely.

"What are you doing?!" Shouted Steve.

"Get me close!" She shouted. As she said this Steve realised what she was doing.

He quickly swiped his hands over the controls pulling the ship off to its side, lining the open door up with Shepard's trajectory as best he could.

Tali grabbed the side of the door with her right hand and reached out with her left, her toes dipped over the edge. Shepard's body was moving at such a pace it was difficult to say if she could catch him. Shepard was flailing towards them out of control. Tali reached out in desperation. She leaned too far forward leaving the Kodiaks artificial gravity. Her feet lifted of the floor as she reached out to Shepard.

Garrus quickly ran over and grabbed her right hand.

"I've got you!" he shouted.

As he said this an explosion nocked the shuttle from the other side throwing Tali out towards Shepard. Garrus latched on to the side of the shuttle hatch before they were both completely thrown out. As Tali was launched out to Shepard she grabbed his left hand. Shepard's momentum caused Shepard and Tali to swing round bashing the both of them against the outside of the shuttle.

"Hold on!" shouted Garrus.

Garrus felt the chain reaction of push and pull effects from Tali, Shepard and the shuttle. He grit his razor sharp teeth and yelled under his breath. He pulled as hard as he could to bring them all back in to the shuttle yanking at Tali's right arm. All at once they fell back in to the shuttle. Shepard landed with his back on the cold floor of the shuttle. Tali landed to his right. Garrus managed to stay standing in the door way. He quickly closed the hatch and reached up again at the hole in the roof.

"Start pressurising the hull!" He shouted

"What!" Yelled Cortez in surprise.

"Just do it!" Garrus ordered.

Air started rushing in to the back of the shuttle through vents on the walls but was seeping out through the hole as Garrus desperately tried to patch it. James jumped out of his chair and knelt down at Shepard's feet.

"Holy Hell" he said in complete shock.

He looked down at Shepard in his scorched body armour. His arms and head were exposed. Covered in blood, bruises and third degree burns. His skin was swollen from vacuum expose. Blood poured out of his side instantly boiling over and evaporating in the vacuum.

"There, I've got it!" Shouted Garrus.

The air stopped spewing out of the shuttle and began filling the room. Tali was kneeling down at Shepard's right side. She pulled a small trauma kit out of her side pocket. It had a little rebreather in it. The shuttle wasn't fully pressurised yet, so she quickly placed it over his mouth and nose.

James noticed the large wound in Shepard's left side. He reached his hands out to it and applied pressure. Tali pulled out her omni-tool and started applying medi-gel to his swollen face and arms. Medi–gel was good at rapidly repairing damaged tissue though Shepard's wounds were severe. Garrus knelt down to Shepard's left quickly opening his omni-tool and applying medi-gel to the large blood covered wound that James had his hands other.

"This is bad," he said. "We need to get him back to the ship, Doctor Chakwas will know what to do".

Air stopped pouring in to the shuttle and the field dropped. Steve quickly swerved the shuttle back around and blasted away from the tower. The shuttle was finally pressurised. James took his hands away and Garrus replaced them, applying pressure to the wound. James took off his helmet then removed his gloves. With his hands uncovered he placed two fingers up to Shepard's neck.

"We've got a pulse!" he shouted with hope radiating from his voice.

Tali remove the rebreather.

She yelled in fright. "He's not breathing!"

"Move!" screamed Vega as he shuffled over to Shepard's right side. Tali stood up taking a step back to give Vega space as he began to perform CPR. He pushed hard against Shepard's chest forcing air in and out of his lungs.

"Come on Shepard, Come on!" he yelled.

Tali looked down from behind James. The full extent of her situation finally realised. She was standing over the man she loved watching him die before her own eyes helpless to save him. She then fell to the floor in tears. She knew she had to keep going, to keep fighting against the pain, the heart ache. She brought her arm up to her visor. Seeing Shepard's blood on her hands she quickly looked away before crawling back over beside James. She wrapped her three fingered hands tightly around Shepards right hand. She brought it up to her visor and shut her eyes as if about to pray.

"Please Shepard" she whispered.

"Don't leave me again."


End file.
